Traditionally, many of today's various gaming jurisdictions have prohibited wagering on skill-based games such as arcade-type games, video console games (e.g., XBOX, PlayStation, Wii, etc.), and/or other gaming platforms in which a player's relative skill at playing the game affects the game's paytable and/or affects the probability that the player will receive a winning payout.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/865,538 discloses various aspects for implementing skill-based, wager-based gaming techniques in casino gaming networks, in which the skill-based, wager-based game may include a non-wager based gaming portion and a wager-based gaming portion. A player engaged in play of the skill-based, wager-based game is able to concurrently engage in continuous game play of the non-wager based gaming portion during execution of wager-based gaming events which are automatically triggered based on events which occur during play of the non-wager based gaming portion. One of the benefits of the skill-based, wager-based gaming techniques disclosed in the Parent Application is that various skill-based, wager-based game embodiments may be configured or designed such that the outcomes and/or payouts of the wager-based game events are not dependent on, or influenced by, the level of skill of the player. Accordingly, many of the skill-based, wager-based game embodiments disclosed in the Parent Application may be characterized (e.g., from a regulatory perspective) as games of chance since, for example, in at least some embodiments, the wager-based game events are implemented as a RNG-based games of chance.
However, more recently, some gaming jurisdictions (including the state of Nevada, for example) have begun to introduce new rules and regulations for permitting skill-based, wager-based gaming. At least a portion of such skill-based, wager-based games (herein “skill-based wager games” or “skill-based, wager-based games”) may be characterized as games of skill since, for example, the outcomes and/or payouts of the wager-based game events may be dependent on, or influenced by, the level of skill of the player.
However, in many gaming jurisdictions, skill-based wager games are still prohibited. This may present various problems to gaming machine manufacturers and distributors, as well as casino operators and wager-based game designers. For example, gaming manufacturers, game designers, and casino operators often make significant business decisions based on the brand name recognition of popular wager-based game titles. One reason for this is due to the fact that many casino patrons are often attracted to the popular wager-based game titles, and tend to engage in game play more frequently at EGDs which offer those popular wager-based game titles. As skill-based wager games continue to increase in popularity, many casino patrons of the younger age demographic have developed a preference for playing skill-based wager games, resulting in specific skill-based wager game titles being very popular among the younger age demographic of casino patrons. Casinos which are located in gaming jurisdictions that allow skill-based wager games are able to capture this market share of the younger age demographic by deploying EGDs which offer the popular skill-based wager game titles. However, casinos located in gaming jurisdictions where skill-based wager games are prohibited are not able to deploy EGDs which offer the popular skill-based wager game titles, and therefore are less likely to capture the market share of the younger age demographic.
Accordingly, one object of the present disclosure is to address the above-described issues by providing a dynamically configurable EGD which includes functionality for supporting multiple different versions of a skill-based, wager-based game title, and which can be deployed in both gaming jurisdictions which allow skill-based wager games, and gaming jurisdictions which prohibit skill-based wager games.